


Friendly Neighborhood Spider--

by Sabriel (the_one_a_m_writer)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Trans Character, Trans Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-15 02:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16924500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_one_a_m_writer/pseuds/Sabriel
Summary: "Which is all well and good, but he's decided to he a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."Tony is recounting the story of his engagement to Pepper, which apparently centers heavily around Peter....That was two months ago. Tony is once again going over the finer points of PR with Peter."Listen, kid, don't make bad choices. Don't post any selfies, or...""I got a, um, job? In a club? As the school newspaper photographer--""That's good, kid. Maybe I'll even let you take pictures of the lab sometime.""They really want me to take pictures of Spider-Man.""Don't do it, Peter, this is how identities get ruined-- Cap! There you are.""Don't listen to him. He's a hypocrite," Steve says. "I AM Iron Man," he imitates....This time, their warnings really seem to have sunk in for Peter.





	Friendly Neighborhood Spider--

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline:  
> Just after spiderman homecoming, except civil war didn't happen.

"Which is all well and good, but he's decided to be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."

Tony is recounting the story of his engagement to Pepper, which apparently centers heavily around Peter.

"Man of spiders has done well indeed as a matchmaker," Thor determines.

"I'm not sure that was his goal," Steve says.

Tony shrugs. "I told him we could turn it into a summer internship situation-- AND," he adds, excited now about this reveal, "It'll be a real one. I'm talking actually working in the lab with me and Banner."

"That'll be nice," Bruce says. "I like him."

"Yeah. Me too," Tony says.

 

That was two months ago. Tony is once again going over the finer points of PR with Peter.

"Listen, kid, don't make bad choices. Don't post any selfies, or..."

"I got a, um, job? In a club? As the school newspaper photographer--"

"That's good, kid. Maybe I'll even let you take pictures of the lab sometime."

"They really want me to take pictures of Spider-Man."

"Don't do it, Peter, this is how identities get ruined-- Cap! There you are."

"Don't listen to him. He's a hypocrite," Steve says. "I AM Iron Man," he imitates.

Peter giggles.

"Was his impression that funny?"

"The videos," Peter says, "for the schools!" and Steve seems to understand, because his face is buried in his palms.

"What is it?"

"You should really see. I'll show you sometime," Peter says.

"I've come to take Tony," Steve says.

"Why take Tony?" asks Tony, as he is dragged away.

"So Pepper can take over the real PR."

 

Pepper is significantly better at PR.

 

This time, their warnings really seem to have sunk in for Peter.

 

***

 

SPIDER-MAN REALLY SPIDER-WOMAN? demands a headline from a local paper. The photographer is anonymous. The proclaimed Spider-Woman appears just like Peter except for a pinch in the waist-- a fullness to the chest. If you squint, the picture is androgynous.

"You're subscribed to Peter's local paper?" Loki asks. "My, you're in deep."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Loki is here on a sort of probation. Endless-optimism Thor asked if Loki could have a second chance. They take it in turns to entertain the moody Asgardian, but oddly enough, it's Peter he's latched to. When Peter's not around, he hangs with those close to him.

"Can I have a sandwich, dad?" Loki asks.

"Last time I checked, Odin wasn't here. Go make your own damn sandwich."

Loki reads the front page of the paper; a new bill is being passed which could interfere with the infrastructure blah blah. This entire "newspaper" is barely three pages. Tony reads it front to back every day.

Loki flips through the whole thing. He reads all the headlines.

"You were kidding about the sandwich, right?"

"I'm more than capable of feeding myself."

 

SPIDER-MAN REALLY SPIDER-WOMAN?

"Meaningless conspiracy."

"That's what Pepper said!" Tony exclaims.

"Newspapers make a big deal out of nothings these days," Steve says, which might be true. "Has he been acting odd?"

"Hyper. Constantly. But odd?" Tony shakes his head. "No."

Steve hands the paper back to Tony.

 

_-Ned! Uh. Let's be honest. This isn't the most compromising way you've caught me._

 

Peter arrives with his stuff in a duffel bag or in his backpack, dressed up in the suit, slinging his way through Tony's open window. Bruce feels like he's going to have a heart attack.

"Tony!" he yells.

Tony yells in return, and Bruce sends the munchkin in the direction of the voice.

The young vigilante seemed a little...

For some reason, Bruce was having a hard time picturing Spider-Man taking off the hood to reveal Peter.

He, of course, does. Bruce is a little surprised.

 

_-That's true..._

 

"Kid, I wanna show you something."

SPIDER-MAN REALLY SPIDER-WOMAN?

"This is what I'm talking about."

Peter's eyes have gone wide and round.

"Does it bother you? Because if so, I can have it removed from the Internet."

"It's..." Peter does a little gasp. "Not worth the trouble."

Loki drifts in.

"Spider-Man really Spider-Woman?" he asks.

Peter looks pained.

"Get out," Tony says harshly to Loki.

"Can I talk to you?" Peter begs, and sprints after Loki.

 

"Where's he gone?"

"Off with that no-good Asgardian."

"You look like a dad sending his kid on a date. Look at you."

Tony's arms are crossed. He's glaring at the door.

"You don't think..!"

Pepper rolls her eyes. "They're not dating. Don't jump to improbable conclusions."

"I'm worried."

"Why?"

"He's been acting shifty."

 

"I'm scared," Peter says.

 

_-Please. Please. Forget you ever... Look, this means, uh, nothing! Nothing. At all._

_-Your voice is shaking._

_-I..._

 

"Of what?" asks Loki.

"Of everyone else."

"Let me show you how I understand."

Loki settles a hand on Peter's shoulder. The air glitters.

Peter looks down. The illusion vanishes. 

"Loki--"

"You should not worry about this," Loki says. "Listen, if worst comes to worst-- which it won't-- Thor and Brunnhilde-- the Valkyrie-- are on your side too."

"Too?"

"Too."

 

_-Ned, no one else knows._

_-That you're..._

_-No one._

_-Not even Aunt May?_

_-Ned please Ned please_

_-I won't tell anyone. Promise._

_-One day I might-- you know. Tell everyone._

 

"Hi, Peter."

"Mr. America?"

"You're doing good with school?"

Peter nods.

"Tell me about chemistry."

Excitedly, Peter does. Steve grins.

 

"How old are you?"

"Um."

"Like, discounting the time you spent frozen."

"Twenty eight."

Peter says, "You're not much older than me."

"But I am."

"You learn new technology really fast and you're picking up on memes."

"I'm only twenty eight."

"I know. That's funny. You also..."

"I also?"

"You're pretty liberal, right?"

"Peter, the things we believe now-- radical in my time."

"Hah. In your time. Go on."

"I believed them even then."

"So what do you believe now?"

"I believe in people."

 

_-I think you should talk to MJ._

_-Why?_

_-She... KNOWS stuff._

_-You're my best friend. You know ME._

 

SPIDER-WOMAN: HOAX OR TRUTH?

Steve laughs. "They're writing articles on the gender of their mysterious hero. Interesting."

"I guess you wouldn't want to accidentally get someone's gender wrong," Tony says casually.

 

Peter is crouched on the roof in the suit.

There's... There's something happening.

He leaps down.

There's a flash.

 

Later, the camera finds itself yanked inhumanly quickly from its spot.

 

Two days later, there's another Spider-Woman story in the paper.

 

Loki is wearing a leather, cloth, and chain mail tunic that cinches his waist and flares at the bottom.

It's too long for him. Almost dresslike.

His hair is washed and combed, laying neatly down his back.

"Did you change the shape of your face?" Stephen asks, because he is here-- for an hour, before he wishes to return to his study.

"I lowered the cheekbones a bit," Loki says, his voice unnaturally high. "Softened the jaw. What do you think?"

"If your goal was an androgynous face, you have nailed it," Strange says.

A smile graces Loki's lips and for once, he seems truly happy on Midgard.

 

If Steven notices the way those lips have turned from the color of an unripe strawberry to a gentle pink a minute later, he chooses not to comment on it.

 

"Aren't you concerned?"

"Are you?" Peter counters.

"I am. You know what? I am. Kid, I know it seems harmless now, but propaganda--"

"What's this about propaganda?" asks Steve-to-the-Rescue.

"Mr. Stark was just comparing newspaper articles to propaganda," Peter says quickly.

"Tony," Steve admonishes.

"Peter's doing a little spinning of the truth. The newspaper has another--"

Feminine Loki strides in.

"Loki!" Peter yelps.

"Steven Strange is here," Loki says in that high voice.

Tony and Steve leave.

"I sensed your distress."

"I'm not ready."

"I know."

"So why are you doing this crap!?" Peter snaps.

"Shh-hh-hh. No need to be scared."

Loki enfolds Peter in a hug.

"You know they won't hate you."

"They'll treat me differently."

"They will not."

"They will."

"And I will be at your side."

Peter is quiet.

"You dressed up-- as a stunt."

"No. My identity is so fluid from years of being the trickster god that I feel... I feel like a woman sometimes."

"Genderqueer," Peter says,  teary warble in his voice.

"Is that my word?"

Peter nods.

"Call me Loki still."

Peter clings.

 

_-Maybe I will talk to MJ. But not yet._

_-Is it ok if I hug you?_

_-Why wouldn't it be?_

 

"There's something deeper going on," Tony says.

"He'll tell us when he's ready," says Steve.

"Steve's right-- Tony, leave the boy alone. Stop accosting him with those newspaper articles," Pepper agrees.

 

_-Hey. What if..._

_-What?_

_-It's a stupid idea._

_-I'm sure it isn't, Ned._

_-You'll actually take pictures of yourself as Spider-Man for once._

_-And..._

_-But you change Spider-Man into_

 

SPIDER-WOMAN SAVES THREE FROM FIRE

"Either someone is working a lot of photoshop, or Peter is very deliberately making the body inside the suit more feminine," Pepper says finally.

"FRIDAY."

"Yes, Mr. Stark."

"If you're born male but you'd rather be female, that's--"

"Transgender, sir."

"Tell me all about it."

_-Ned, that's a great idea!_

_-Thanks. Oof. You're squishing me._

_-Sorry._

_-...haveyoupickedaname?_

_-I... No?_

_-Can I help?_

 

Tony doesn't know how to support Peter before he's out, so he settles with dropping as many gendered terms from his dialogue as he can.

Pepper strikes small conversations with Peter whenever she can.

Steve talks with Loki, who is willing to answer questions about his gender identity. 

Loki begins shifting the disguise with how he feels.

 

"Spiderling."

"Hi, Loki."

She is wearing an Asgardian gown in green, black, and gold today. Peter feels the fabric. It's gauzy.

"Can you show me the illusion again?"

"I can actually do something better for you. My mother, Frigga-- she taught me how to do my own makeup when I was young. Before I knew to work my own illusions."

Loki conjures a carved box of a deep red wood. Inside the box are tiers of palates, brushes, and colors.

"Let's begin with..."

 

Peter is walking around today with a noticeable tint to his lips and a depth to his eyes brought out by the thin eyeliner.

Tony is the kind of boyfriend who actually bought Pepper makeup AND understood when she put it on, so he sees Peter's updates now, and smiles.

"What's funny?"

"I'm happy to see you," says Tony. "You look less grumpy."

"Thanks?"

 

_-So the feminized form of Peter is Petra._

_-No offense, but I don't like that name._

_-Me either._

_-Good!_

_-How about a baby names website?_

 

Peter smiles all day. Pepper is the only one who is brave enough to lean in and say, "Your makeup looks very nice." The others don't want to scare Peter off.

 

_-Aunt May. What are good names for girls?_

_-Is someone pregnant?_

_-No! God. It's just a hypothetical question._

_-May._

_-No, really._

_-I like the name Amelia, but not Amy. Hmm. Maybe... Maybe Penny._

_-Why?_

_-It's cute, and I like alliteration._

_-All right._

_-I've got to get back to cleaning._

_-Bye, Aunt May!_

_-Bye, Ned! Peter, your uncle would have wanted to name her June._

 

"Jarvis! What's happening?"

"Hostile in New York City, sir?"

"What is it?"

An image appears of a huge man with two high-powered guns in his hands, followed by a fleet of spindly robots.

Tony sticks out his hands and the suit assembles around him. He launches away. Steve sprints after him.

Peter suits up immediately and springs out the window. He latches on to a building and swings toward it. The mirrored glass gives him a nice reflection of--

The suit!

It's still feminized, and there's no way the Avengers would let it go if--

Peter smacks into the building.

 

_-Penny Parker has quite the ring to it. I like June too. Penny June Parker._

_-It seemed weirdly like May was suggesting names for her own kid._

_-Oh my god Ned she knows Ned she knows_

_-Calm down! She supports you, okay? That's what that means._

 

Natasha is watching when Peter smacks into the building.

He isn't moving.

She takes the elevator to the roof of Stark tower. From here, she can make a running leap, aided by the Flying Widow-- a small device built for Natasha to hang onto and glide through the air, courtesy Tony-- and land on the roof of the mirrored building.

Once on the building she regards the spider web. Probably sticky. There's a pipe laying on the rooftop. She curls it under the threads and begins to pull, walking away from the roof edge, dragging Peter up the building.

The kid reaches the top.

She hauls him up. He is not unconscious. He is shaking.

"Peter," she whispers. "Let go of the web. You're safe. It's ok."

Peter lets go. Natasha gathers him in her arms.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not ready," Peter sobs. "I got scared."

The fight is not what Peter is talking about. Natasha can see the shape of the suit.

"Steve and Tony can handle the fight all by themselves. How about we go back to Stark Tower?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Can you take me over?"

Peter wraps an arm around Natasha obligingly and swings them to Stark Tower.

"I'm, I'm transgender," Peter says, looking down.

"Ok," Natasha says.

"I... We call me, um. Penny, now."

Natasha helps Penny out of the suit.

"I haven't told anyone... here."

"They'll understand," Natasha says with utmost conviction.

"That's what I keep saying!" says Loki, reappearing. Natasha stares at him distrustfully.

Penny looks surprised.

"What did I say? I said I'd be by your side the entire time."

Now Natasha looks surprised, and Penny comforted.

"I'm going to tell them soon," Penny says.

"Today?" Loki asks.

"Tomorrow. Today, I'm going home."

 

"Peter felt light-headed," Natasha lies. "Probably just dehydration. I gave him water and sent him home."

Loki nods.

 

_-Seriously, Ned, thank you. For... Everything._

_-No problem, Penny._

 

Spider-Woman swings into the compound and stands proudly in front of Tony and Pepper.

"Hey, kiddo. Good to see you're back," Tony says, but internally, he's so proud of the kid he's surprised he isn't grinning maniacally.

Spider-Woman takes off her mask. "Um. I'm, I'm transgender. I'm really-- I'm really a female. So you could call me Penny."

Tony raises his hand, and a screen appears in front of him-- the profile of a Peter Parker.

Tony deletes the name, and adds Penny. He deletes the sex, and changes it to female.

"Good for you," Pepper whispers, and hugs Penny.

 

TRANSGENDER AVENGER?

The article this time is not in that little community production newspaper, but splashed across a page of the Times.

The article suggests a hoax or a publicity stunt. Maybe even a case of mistaken original identity. It doesn't conclude the spider-hero's gender.

"Pathetic," Tony says.

"What's pathetic?" Steve asks.

"They can't admit to transgender people being real in this article."

"Have Penny follow in the footsteps of the great Tony Stark," Steve suggests. "Press release."

 

Press release.

Penny, in the full suit, is bouncing on her toes. The suit got some upgrades from Tony, so there's nothing to suggest there isn't a woman inside. Penny plans on pitching her voice higher. She's gotten advice from the best-- an opener from Tony, and everything else from Pepper.

 

Penny imagines a flock of birds when she steps in. Their fluttering wings would make the same sound as this chattering mass.

"Can we have some quiet?" Tony asks.

Silence falls.

"That's more like it. Here's our youngest avenger. She's got a little statement for you. Sit tight and listen."

"Hello. I'm Spider-Woman," Penny says.

This is not the first time she's said those words, but it's the first time with an audience. It feels good.

"I am transgender, which means I was born biologically male but I know I should be female. This isn't a, uh, hoax or anything, I really will be Spider-Woman for the rest of my life. Um."

Penny glances to Tony. Tony nods approval.

"Do you have... questions?"

 

NEWS OF TRANSGENDER HEROINE RECEIVED WELL

"See? Everyone's cool with it!"

"Yeah."

Penny's hair has grown out longer by now, in a style that could almost seem feminine. She has makeup on, and clothes she prefers, but the look is still mildly androgynous.

"I dunno."

"Don't worry about it, Penny. I'm gonna protect you."

Penny laughs, and finally steps onto the sidewalk. She keeps her eyes straight until she gets inside the school.

"Hey. Parker."

"Michelle?"

"Nice new look."

Penny shrugs.

"I'm not kidding," Michelle says. "What class do you have?"

"Um, calculus."

"Neat. Same here."

The way to the new classroom was an unfamiliar one, but Penny passed most of her classmates on the way. 

On the first day-- even the first day! The teacher hands out a worksheet. The first line asks for a name.

Michelle leans over and watches. 

Penny writes the P of Peter and stops. Does she have to?

Michelle writes "MJ" on her paper.

Penny writes Penny Parker.

MJ nods, opening to a new page in her notebook. When she holds it up after half an hour, it is a picture of Penny, but with some odd pattern in the background... almost like... webbing.

The picture says on it "triumph."

 

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: i am not trans, i don't have a lot of knowledge about being trans besides what i've read on the internet, etc, etc. Feel free to correct me. if you wanna talk at length once again go to my profile/bio, it has my email,,,  
> other disclaimer: it was so late at night when i wrote this


End file.
